Tea Time
by Taylor Roberts
Most of us have heard of tea time, and commonly associate it with a fancy tea room. However, have you ever thought about having a tea time in your home…with your kids? “Yikes, and no thank you” may be some of your responses. This is completely understandable if a fancy tea room is what you associate it with. I first heard of doing tea time with kids from a fellow mama who wanted to slow down each day and have an intentional snack time with her boys. I immediately loved the idea but wanted to make it my own.
Traditionally, tea time takes place anywhere from 3:30-5pm. It’s not realistic for most of us to do this daily but it is a fun activity to do occasionally or during a school break! For my family, 3:30 is perfect because my son has just napped and wants a snack anyway. If you have a younger child still sleeping, it’s a great opportunity to spend quality time with your older child!
Okay, so how to set this up:
Find your tea time space. It’s helpful to have a specific place for this. Like the kitchen table or as a picnic in the living room! If it’s warm outside, take it all out in the backyard!
Brew your tea. Herbal is best for no caffeine (insert “yikes!” here). Make sure the tea has cooled before serving it to your little one. I like to top it off with a little cold water or offer cream/dairy alternatives.
Snacks. Make yummy snacks ahead of time or maybe have a stash of “tea time” snacks so it feels extra special. We happened to have some tarts from a local coffee shop on hand and that made our tea time feel fun and different for my three year old son.
Teaware. You do not have to use glass teaware but I find it adds to the magical feeling and sets a certain intention. You may decide to opt for plastic if you have smaller kiddos and that’s great!
Activities. If you have older children, you may keep it simple and use this as a time of conversation and hearing about their day at school. A couple of great options for younger children are to read books or even do a small craft. Also, include your little one in the process as much as you safely can. Picking out their tea, setting up the space, or putting the snack out on little plates. Kids love to help and are more likely to engage in an activity if they have ownership in it!
Please make this tea time your own! It will look different for each family and that’s what makes it so wonderful for you and your child! The main thing I hope you take away is to really try to make tea time feel special and full of wonder. It’s so fun to watch our children get excited and create something together!
